Announcements

We have upgraded to new forum software as of late last year, and it makes everything here so much better! It is now much easier to do pretty much anything, including write Trip Reports, sell gear, schedule climbing related events, and more. There is a new reputation system that allows for positive contributors to be recognized, it is possible to tag content with identifiers, drag and drop in images, and it is much easier to embed multimedia content from Youtube, Vimeo, and more. In all, the site is much more user friendly, bug free, and feature rich! Whether you're a new user or a grizzled cascadeclimbers.com veteran, we think you'll love the new forums. Enjoy!

Lightweight summer mountaineering boots

Recommended Posts

Time for new boots. I want to find the perfect boots for spring and summer mountaineering but also for backpacking and long hikes. So.....fairly light weight, not too bulky, still stiff enough to work well with crampons, and should last forever.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Erm... the ones that fit your feet. Seriously, go out and try on a bunch of pairs. Some of the obvious contenders have already been mentioned here. I have a pair of the

"and should last forever" No lightweight boot is going to last forever. You just traded durability for weight.

I have a pair of the non-GTX Garmonts (never been much of a believer in GTX boots) and they're pretty nice. Not waterproof but fine for summer and lightweight crampons. The toe is pretty narrow though.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Why not GTX. I've never been that convinced by its durability in a boot. Typical GTX boots tend to be made of synthetic materials with the GTX membrane sandwiched inside it. I've always figured that the membrane is going to get mangled pretty quickly and then you're left with a boot that's not leather and hard to waterproof.

But then my personal preference these days seems to be approach shoes or those boots, lightweight crampons and plastic shopping bags for waterproofing on glaciers when cramponing.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Looks like the Trango S has been discontinued and replaced with the Goretex version. I was hoping to use my REI dividend to pick up a pair...does anyone know if they are planning on carrying these? I hope I don't have to pay full price for these things.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Only get the waterproof version of the Trango S. I have the non-wp version and they aren't not, in any way, even water-resistant. After about 30 mins in snow they are soaked through. Went on a four day trip with these and hated them, they never dried. I'll never buy non-wp mountaineering boots again. And make sure you get the right size. My were a half size to small and that sucked. I used them for two years getting wet and cramped feet before I retired them. Screw that.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I've never believed in Gore-Tex boots either - especially ones made from synthetics. They're nearly impossible to waterproof, and even if there's GTX in them, they still get soaked with water, weigh 3 pounds more and make your feet cold. The original green Trangos rocked cuz you could coat them with wax. I dig the Garmont Pinnacle for this reason.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

You said it Squidly. Pro Mountain Sports has them on sale for $150, but they don't have all sizes and is limited to stock on hand.

I loved these boots but last year sadly realized that they are far too disposable for even the cheap clearance prices around right now.

When I returned them last summer to MEC with the entire kevlar sections on both boots blown right off after three months of weekend use, I was told I had reached the lifetime of the boot (the edges on the soles weren't even rounded yet), and that it was common knowledge that synthetic materials don't last

Forget that noise, the scarpa freney pro is a bit heavier but is FAR more durable. I will never buy that synthetic kevlar shit again

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

I'm not sure it's kevlar per se, more the weight of the boot overall. I had a pair of Tecnica Altis, which have a 100% kevlar fabric upper, that have given me good service. They've done five years of alpine climbing in the Cascades and ice climbing in winter and aren't done yet.

If you buy one of these lightweight boots don't expect it to last like a heavier more durable one.

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

They have done the job so far. Not stiff enough for sustained fron pointing. They are just hiking boots, but the edges are good and they are waterproof and comfortable. You can hike the PCT trail in them or go up Mt. Baker or summer scrambles.